The standard verticillium wilt-resistant alternatives for Japanese maples are witch hazel (Hamamelis), Parrotia persica, Styrax and Stewartia. Dogwoods can be susceptible depending on the specific pathogen strain and personally, I would avoid them.

You've determined that verticillium wilt was definitely the problem?

Bboy, I also frequent another website through the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Someone there who seemed to be very familiar with both verticillium wilt and pseudomona described a fast-acting verticillium wilt that really seemed to be the symptoms I had. He also enclosed pictures of some of his losses, which looked just like mine, sans the blackening. I attempted to take a sample of my branch to a Master Gardener at the local Home Depot yesterday, but of course I had been misinformed and there was no master gardener there. Either way, the tree is definitely dead and I dug it up yesterday evening.

Gardengal, thanks for the suggestions. What's your opinion of say, flowering crabapples?

It WOULD help to know what the problem was for sure, otherwise you might be looking in the wrong direction when choosing your replacement. In my area there is an Extension office about half an hour (or less) away, maybe you also have one you could go to directly to see about having the disease identified.